Dennis Hof considering legal action for billboard removal

OAKLAND, Calif. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) -- Bunny Ranch owner Dennis Hof is lining up possible legal action against an advertising company and the city of Oakland after one of his paid billboards was mysteriously taken down.

According to Hof, the billboard was an advertisement for a restaurant and cigar bar that he owns. Under pressure from neighbors and members of the Oakland City Council, the advertising company decided to take it down.

"I've hired First Amendment lawyers and we're looking into it getting all the details," said Hof. "And if they made a mistake, they're going to pay."

used to be a restaurant in downtown Oakland called the Brau-Hof; was where the gambling buses left for Reno. Now, I guess we could hope for a LowBrow-Hof, eh? To be "blunt", if he wants more bizness, open one there...
as for trash(y)-ing Oakland, Y don't U just peel that Raiders sticker off yer pickup

The advertising company has a right to do whatever they want to with their billboard. As long as they pro-rated the advertising fee and returned him the unused balance, they are totally in the right. It doesn't matter about morally right or wrong or freedom of speech, blah blah blah...businesses have a right to refuse service and no matter why they did it, they have that right.

I think his rights were violated. This billboard advertised a bar & cigar bar which is a legal business separate from the Bunny Ranch. There was nothing illegal about the billboard. The advertising company should not have taken it down, but they allowed the public pressure them into it, thus allowing the public to dictate how they do business.
I wonder really how many complaints there actually were (in numbers) and of all these people, how many live a moral life them-self? I mean if we really looked into the complainants lives, are they squeaky clean or do moral standards apply sporadically or continually?

I could understand if the sign company had balked on a billboard for the brothel. In Nevada, OK it's a legal business, but a fine line to put up a billboard in a state where it is illegal (& hypocritically frowned upon). But if the billboards were for his other enterprises,restaurant and cigar bar, legal in both states, then yes his rights were violated. Before taking his money every business can "refuse service". But don't take a businessman's legal money and then take away the service paid for. It's ridiculous how the staunch city fathers look down their noses at the legal brothels in Nevada, regulated, monitored, taxed, etc. But what is going on in the street in front of city hall? They will have some excuse but instead of legal prostitutes they have hookers and street walkers, often diseased, totally unregulated, and very, very unsafe for them and their customers. As I said, what a bunch of hypocrites. I bet they ogle their Carl's Jr. soft porn commercials!

Its a sad day in America when the owner of a restaurant cannot advertise his legal business. This reminds me of the play Best Little Whorehouse in Texas when the Neighborhood Watchdog went after the Chicken Ranch for political gain. But this isn't even a brothel being advertised, its a restaurant and nightclub. If Hof'f rights aren't protected, then neither are anyone else's.
I hope Hof takes this to Federal court. The People VS. Dennis Hof

The city of Oakland has bigger things to worry about then a billboard. Now they have Hof on their back. People have the right to advertise their business. It was a classy picture. They should put it back up.